Tube-rolling machine.



G. J. THUST.

TUBE ROLLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1910.

1, 1 1 3,383. Patented 00t.13, 1914.

5 SHEETS SHEET l.

g5 34 v I wwmz G. J. THUST.

TUBE ROLLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR/1,1910.

1,1 1 3,383. K Patented Oct. 13,1914.

5 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

' G. J. THUST.

TUBE ROLLING MACHINEv APPLICATION FILED APR.4.1910.

1,1 1 3,383. Patented 001.13, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 G. J. THUST.

TUBE ROLLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1910,

1,1 1 3,383. Patented 0013. 13, 1914.

,Q W W F SSE/a' 15 @M m G. J. THUST.

TUBE ROLLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1910.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

'5 SHEETS-SHBET 5.

enonen J. THIl'S'1,,OF nnrnorr, MICHIGAN.

TUBE-ROLLING MACHINE. J

,Specifieation of Letters Eatent.

Patented oat. is, 191a.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,396.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. THUsT, a citizen of the Ilnited States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain, new and useful Improvements-in Tube-Rolling Machine's, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tube rolling machine designed for the speedy and economical manufacture of seamless tubing from tubular blanks or billets.

Prior to my invention the manufacture of seamless tubing was a slow and expensive process, and involved several reheatings and repeated handling of the tube during the hot drawing operation, andalso involved a. sub-- sequent pickling of the tube to remove the scale therefrom, and a further cold drawing operation. In the old operation as commonly practised, a billet which had previously been pierced and expanded into tubular form, was placed in heated condition upon a mandrel bar and fed together with the bar between a pair of drawing rolls. The billet was then withdrawn from the mandrel bar and returned to its initial position while the .bar wasfed back through the rolls to again receive the billet. The billet and bar were then fed forward through rolls again, this operation being repeated ordinarily five times. The tube was then reheated and passed several times through another similar drawing machine. By the successive passage of the billet through the rolls, it was finally reduced to the proper size and elongated to the desired length. During the drawing operation several reheating s of the tubes were sometimes necessary, which produced a scale on the surface of the tube. In order to remove this objectionable scale the tubes were next subjected to a pickling action in a tank of acid. The tube was next colddrawn, and

' in order that it might be grasped by a gripper to draw it through the drawing die, it

was necessary to point one end of the tube,

or as it is commonly termed to put a tag end thereon which,could be engaged by the.

gripper. After the cold drawingoperation this tag end was cut off, thismuch of the tube being wasted. After the cold drawing operation, the tube was subsequently annealed and straightened. This invention aims to simplify and economize the manufacture of seamless tubes of this character sectional shape.

embodiment thereofby suppla-nting the tedious and expensive method heretofore employed, with a simple operation involving only the single passage o-fa billet through a series of drawing rolls, thereby producing by one operation a completed tube without reheating, pickling, or cold drawing.

One object of my invention is to effect a saving of material in each tube produced, by eliminating the necessity of providing the tube with a tag end, which tag end serves no useful purpose on a completed tube and has heretofore been cut 05 and discarded as Waste.

A further object of my invention is the, provision of a machine adapted to produce seamless tubing inthe manner above indicated, which shall be simple in construction and cheap to manufacture, and which with slight variation can be adapted for producing tubes of any preferred or desired cross- Additional aims and advantages of, my invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as it .is better understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accom panying drawings illustrating a preferred Referring to the, drawingsFigures 1, 2 and 3 constitute a plan view'of a machine embodying my invention: Fig. 1 showing the feed end; Fig.2 thedrawing mechanism; and Fig. 3 the delivery end of the machine. 'Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the driving mechanism for the drawingrolls on one side of themachine. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of one set of feed rolls taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the mandrel holding clamp. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view illustrating the relative position and sizesv of the drawing rolls and mandrel blocks. Fig. 9 is a section through a mandrel block and the positioning tubes. Fig-10 is a sectio n on the line 10-10 of Fig. 3; and, Fig;v 11 shows a modified-form of mandrel and C11 the drawings, 12 designates the base preferably constructed ofconcrete, upon jwhich the machine is mounted. A bed plate 13 secured to the base by bolts 14 or other,

means, is provided with longitudinallyiw slotted ribs 15 adapted to support-shame 16 adjustable longitudinally thereof, and

maintained in adjusted position by bolts 17 (Fig. 5). The supporting frame extends longitudinally of and is adapted to support a housing 18 in which the drawing rolls are mounted. The housing is substantially square in cross-section and is preferably supported on one corner, although this position of the housing is not material and may be varied to suit the exigencies of the particular location where the machine is installed. lVithin the housing-are disposed a series of pairs of drawing rolls, each pair being disposed at an angle to the vertical and at right-angles to the adjacent pairs, and consisting of a lower roll 19 and an upper roll 20. The rolls are mounted in suitable bearings 21 in the walls of the housing and are provided with balls 22, or'rollers if preferred, to reduce the friction incident to their rotation. Each roll is provided with a peripheral semi-circular groove 23, the grooves on the upper and lower rolls of each part registering so as to form a circular opening between the rolls. The rolls may also be concaved throughout a portion of their length as shown in Figs. 5 and 11 for the purpose of reducing the weight of the rolls and the quantity of material required for their construction. The openings formed by the peripheral grooves on the series ofrolls, are disposed in substantial alinement so as to provide a straight passageway through the center "of the housing from one end to the other. The upper roll 20 of each pair has secured thereon a gear 24 adapted to mesh with and be driven bya similar gear 25 on the roll 19. Each roll 19 is provided at its lower end with a bevel-gear 26 adapted to mesh with a bevelgear 27 on one of the shafts 28 extending longitudinally of the housing. Each shaft 28 is supported at the feed end of the machine in a suitable bearing on a standard 29 in which is also journaled a drive shaft 30 driven from'any suitable source ofpower, and provided with aplurality of bevel-gears 31 adapted to mesh with and drive the bevelgears 32 on the ends of the shafts 28. The gears 26 gradually decrease in size from the feed toward the delivery end of the housing, 7

so that each succeeding pair of rolls is driven. faster than the preceding pair in order to exert a drawing action upon the tube as it is fed through the housing. This variation inthe size of the gears 26 is illustrated in Fig. 4, which shows the shaft 28 on the lefthand side of the machine viewing Fig. 5. The gears 26 at the right of the machine viewing Fig. 5, also decrease in size from the feed to the delivery end of the machine, correspondingly with the gears shown in Fig. 4. The graduation in size of the driven gears 26 from the largest at the feed end to the smallest at the delivery end of the housing, results in each pair of rolls being driven faster than the adjacent pair nearer the feed end. The speed of each succeeding pair of rolls from the feed to the delivery end of the housing, is increased by a common increment, whereby a tube fed into the housing will be gradually drawn out by the pulling or drawing force ofthe rolls derived from the differences of speed at which the various sets of rolls are revolving and by the pressure exerted directly by the rolls upon the tube as it passes through the successive pairs of rolls.

For the purpose of guiding the billets through the machine, I have provided a mandrel rod 33 which extends longitudinally. the entire length of the machine. This mandrel rod extends through the alined openings between the series of drawing'rolls, and is supported at the feed end of the machine between a series of pairs of feed rolls 34, and at the delivery end between a series of pairs of delivery rolls 35. The feed rolls and delivery rolls are substantially identical in construction and a detail description of one pair of rolls and their mounting will be sufiicient for the purposes of this application. A pair of the delivery rolls is shown in Fig. 6 wherein the upper roll 35 and the lower roll 35 are suitably mounted in bearings in the frame 36 supported upon the base of the machine. The roll 35 is driven from the roll 35 through the inter-meshing gears 37 and 3",

the roll 35 being driven by a bevel-gear 38 meshing with a driving gear 39 on the shaft 40. Three pairs of delivery rolls are shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, but it will be obvious that as many pairs may be employed as is deemed necessary or expedient. The shaft 40 is journaled in bearings 41 carried upon arms projecting laterally from the frame 36, and is driven through a set of gears 42 operatively connected with the roll driving shaft 28.

The feed rolls 34 which are mounted substantially identical with the delivery rolls just described, are driven through bevelgear connections with a' shaft 43 extending longitudinally of the machine, and positively driven by any suitable motor 44 operatively connected therewith. In Fig. 1 I have shown three pairs of feed rolls, and

in most instances this number will be sufii-.

cient, but it is to be understood that this number is shown merely for the purposes of illustration and is capable of variation according to the character of the work being done.

The mandrel rod 33 which is supported between the pairs of feed rolls, drawing rolls, and delivery rolls, is provided with a series of mandrel blocks 45 disposed at regular intervals upon the rod, and spaced apart so that they are'positioned in the opening between the drawing rolls of each pair formed by the peripheral grooves 23. The blocks are maintained in their spaced relation on the rod by spacing sections 46 of tubing or pipe. The end spacing sections may be pinned to the rod or secured in position by nuts screwed onto the rod and clamping the sections and blocks therebetween, or they may be held in place by any other preferred fastening means. Each block is of substantially frusto-conical shape as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the smaller end being disposed toward the feed end of the machine, and the larger end being preferably located substantially in a plane passing through the axes of the pair of rolls between which it is located. The blocks gradually decrease in size from the feed to the delivery end of the machine, and the diame- 'ter of the openings formed between the rolls of each pair of the series gradually decreases proportionately from the feed to the delivery end of the housing. it will be evident that because of this gradual decrease in size of the mandrel blocks and of L the openings between the drawing rolls, a

billet or tube fed through the rolls will be gradually reduced in diameter by each succeeding pair of rolls.

I on at the feed end, and adevice for holding Contrary to machines which have heretofore been employed in which the mandrel moves through the machine with the tube, the mandrel rod 33 is maintained stationary and the tubes are fed from one end of the rod to the other. In order to prevent the mandrel from feeding through the machine with the tubes, T have provided means for maintaining it in a substantially fixed position. The holding means employed comprises a device for holding the mandrel at the delivery end when a billet is being fed it at the feed end while the tube. is being fed ofi'the delivery end. As shown in Fig. 1, the mandrel rod extends between the firstpair of feed rolls 34 so that a billet slipped over the end of the rod will be immediately engaged with the feed rolls and fed along mandrel rod will be prevented by engagement of the end of the rod with the abutment block 49, and that by adjusting the position of this block the proper relation of the mandrel blocks to their respective mandrel rod.

rolls, may be secured. For the purpose of raising the gate out of alinement with the mandrel rod to permit a tube to be delivered therefrom, I have provided operating means comprising a bell-crank lever 52 pivoted to the supporting frame 36 at 53 and connected to the gate by a link 54. A rod 55 is connected to one arm of the bell-crank lever and extends longitudinally of the machine to a point near the feed end of the mandrel rod where it is supported in a bearing 56 in a position to be grasped by the operator of the machine. By exerting a'longitudinal pull upon the rod 55, the gate will be swung upwardly out of alinement with the mandrel rod so that a tube which is being fed along by the delivery rolls may be delivered from the end of the rod.

In order to prevent longitudinal move ment of the mandrel rod when the gate at the delivery end of the machine is'raised, T have provided mechanism at the feed end of the machine, comprising a clamp adapted to engage with the mandrel rod and hold it against longitudinal movement, as best shown in Figsl and 7. A standard 57 mounted upon the base of the machine, is provided at its upper end with a guidegroove 58 in which the mandrel rod is adapted to be positioned. Upon the forward face of the standard 57 I have pivoted upon the bolt 59 a clamp comprising jaws 60 and 61 pivoted together at 62, and projecting laterally to form handles which can be grasped by the operator to close the clamp. The jaws 60 and 61 are formed to surround and grasp a reduced portion of the This reduced portion issimply a peripheral groove on the mandrel rod providing a shoulder 63 which engages with the outer face of the clamp and prevents longitudinal movement of the mandrel rod.

in order that the operator may not be obliged to hold the clamp in closed position, a ring 6e adapted to slip over the ends of the handles for maintaining them in closed position, is employed.

In the operation of my my ention the gate at the delivery end of the machine is positioned in alinement with the mandrel to prevent longitudinal movement thereof, and the mandrel holding clamp at the feed end of the machine, is opened. A billet which has been previously heated in a furnace to the required temperature, is slipped over the feed end of the mandrel rod until it is engaged by the first set of the feed rolls, thereupon it is automatically carried along the mandrel rod by the successive pairs of feed rolls until it is brought into engagement with the first pair of drawing rolls. The first mandrel block and the peripheral grooves on the first pair of rolls, are slightly smaller than the original size of the billet.

The billet is caught by the rolls and drawn between them over the mandrel block; this operation slightly reducing the diameter of the billet. As the billet feeds forward it is engaged by the next pair of drawing rolls which are revolving at a higher speed than the first set. These rolls exert a drawing action as well as a reducing action upon the billet. Each succeeding pair of rolls runs at a slightly higher speed, and each succeeding mandrel is of smaller size so that as the billet passes through the machine it is gradually drawn out and reduced in diameter. The number of pairs of rolls and mandrel blocks may be increased or diminished to produce from a given billet, a tube of the desired dimensions and length.

I .haveshown in Figs. 1 to 10 the mandrel blocks as being circular in cross-section, and the peripheral grooves on the drawing rolls as producing a circular opening between the rolls. This type of construction would produce a circular tube. It will be obvious, however, that the shape of the mandrel blocks and the shape of the grooves on the drawing rolls may be varied to produce any desired shape. In Fig. 11 I have shown a modified form of mandrel block and drawing roll constructed to produce a square tube. The lower and upper drawing rolls 19' and 20 are provided with V-shaped peripheral grooves 23 disposed in a plane coincident with a square mandrel block 45. Tubes of diii'erent shapes may be produced by varying the grooves and the mandrel blocks.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that I am enabled by my invention to produce seamless tubing by a single operation and without reheating the tubes. Furthermore, I obviate the necessity of the usual pickling action, and also save the stock ordinarily wasted by cutting off the tag end formed on the tube to facilitate the cold drawing operation.

\Vhile I have shown and described a pre ferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that various changes in minor mechanical details'may be resorted to withm the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the material advantages thereof.

IYhat I claim is:

1. In a tube rolling machine, the combination of a series of sets of drawing rolls, a mandrel rod extending between the rolls of each set of said series, means normally positioned in front of one end of said mandrel rod and adapted to be moved out of alinement with said mandrel rod, and means for embracing the other end of said mandrel rod. both of said means being operable from a single end of said tube rolling machine.

2. In a tube rolling machine, the combination of a series of sets of drawing rolls, a mandrel rod extending between the rolls of each set of said series and having an end disposed adjacent each end of said machine, and separate means for engaging each end of said mandrel rod to maintain the rod in position between the rolls of said sets, both manually operable from a common station.

3. In a tube rolling machine, the combination of a-Series of sets of drawing rolls, a mandrel rod extending from end to end of the machine and disposed between the rolls of said sets, a swinging abutment normally positioned in alinement with an end of said mandrel rod to prevent movement of the mandrel rod when a tube is being rolled, and means for moving said abutment out of alinement with the mandrel rod to permit a tube to be delivered therefrom, said means 'being manually operable from adjacentthe other end af said machine.

4. In a tube making machine, the combination of a Series of drawing rolls, a mandrel disposed longitudinally of the machine and in cooperative relation with said rolls, a swingingly mounted abutment adapted to engage the delivery end of said mandrel to prevent longitudinal movement thereof, means adapted to be operated from the feed end of the machine for moving'said abutment out of operative position with respect to the mandrel, and manual means disposed at the feed end of the machine for engaging the mandrel to maintain it in operative position when said abutment is moved to inoperative position.

. 5. In a tube making machine, the combination of a series of drawing rolls, a mandrel disposed in operative relation thereto, a swingingly mounted abutment adapted to engage the delivery end of the mandrel and prevent longitudinal movement thereof, operating means therefor mounted to be actuated from the feed end of the machine and means positioned to -be operated from the feed end of the machine forengaging the mandrel near its feed end for holding the mandrel in operative position, said holding means comprising a pair of jaws adapted to be engaged with the mandrel.

6. In a tube making machine, the combination of a series of sets of drawing rolls, said sets being spaced apart, a mandrel rod extending between the rolls, a plurality of mandrel blocks of graduated sizes positioned on said mandrel rod, each of said blocks being tapered on the feed end of the machine, and spacing means encircling said mandrel rod and disposed between said blocksfor maintaining the blocks in the de sired relation relatively to the spaced sets of drawing rolls.' a

7. In at tube rolling machine, the combination of a series of sets of drawing rolls, a series of sets of delivery rolls disposed in substantially a vertical plane, a mandrel rod extending between the rolls'of each set of drawing and delivery rolls, and means 10- cated at each end of the mandrel rod for maintaining the mandrel rod in position, both said means being operable from the feed end of the machine.

8.111 a tube making machine, the combination of a series of sets of grooved drawing rolls, each set being disposed at an angle with its adjacent set and with a vertical plane, a plurality of sets of feed rolls disposed in a Vertical plane and in alinement at one end of-the machine, a plurality of sets v of delivery rolls at the other end of the ma- 1%;

GEORGE J. THUST.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. WOODMAN, M. A. KIDDIE. 

